Cape Argus

Mufti Menk loves the Cape

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CAPE Town is one of the best places on earth and those who have not yet visited the city have no idea what they are missing out on. This what world renowned Muslim scholar Mufti Ismail Menk said ahead of his visit to the city for the month of Ramadaan.

“Cape Town is so calm, so serene… If you look at the people, they reflect the nature around them. The communitie­s, I find, are very receptive, loving, accommodat­ing, love to learn. They are deeply in love with Islam and respectful of those who follow other faiths. This is something unique when it comes to Cape Town.”

Mufti Menk will be leading Taraweeg (voluntary evening prayers) at the Gatesville Mosque this Ramadaan.

He said he enjoyed spending the little free time he has with his family.

“I play games with my little children and make them laugh. The biggest source of happiness for me is when someone doesn’t know who I am and I reach out to them and make them smile or make their day. I just want to help, make them smile and walk away and I know I’ve done my good deed,” he said.

Mufti Menk said he looked forward to his stay in Cape Town. “The bulk of my followers in SA are from Cape Town. I appreciate the hospitalit­y.”

While in the city, he will give lectures at Gatesville Mosque. It will be live-streamed on radio and TV. About 4 million downloads are expected during Ramadaan.

This year’s lectures are themed “Save Yourself ” and will follow on last year’s theme. “Save Yourself Part 2” is aimed at equipping people to face the hardships of life.

“What is meant by ‘Save Yourself ’ is verses of the Qur’an that would guide us towards how we can save ourselves from difficulty, hardship, calamity, loss in this world, depression, stress and discord in this world and how we can save ourselves in the hereafter. So it’s a balance of living and life-skills and belief,” he said. He will also launch his new book,

“It brings together 500 of the most popular quotes of mine,” he said.

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